Brussels, 19/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - While High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton was due to meet the prime ministers of Serbia and Kosovo separately on Friday 19 October to discuss the Belgrade/Pristina dialogue, the Kosovan parliament adopted a resolution the previous day supporting resumption of this dialogue. The Kosovan parliament authorised the government to conduct negotiations - the results of which must respect Kosovo's sovereignty, territorial integrity and its constitutional order.
The resolution - adopted by 68 of the 120 MPs - also supports the process of normalisation between the “two independent and sovereign states”, with the aim of resolving the problems between them, improving citizens' lives and moving forward on the path to EU membership. The text also recalls Kosovo's refusal to negotiate on its status of independent state which was proclaimed in February 2008.
Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi said that “normalisation and good neighbourly relations are the conditions for this integration” to the EU and NATO (our translation). (CG/transl.fl)